Travel Guide To Madrid

Spain's capital is famous for being a great nighttime city - its late bars and clubs attract night owls from all over. But don't get lost in the bar jungle - the city also offers plenty to see and do during the day.

Where to stay in Madrid

CASA DE MADRID Calle Arrieta 2, Madrid (00 34 91 559 5791; www.casademadrid.com). Bang in the city centre, overlooking the Opera House and a five-minute walk from the Royal Palace, artist and collector Marta Medina has filled the 18th-century townhouse with an exquisite jumble of objets d'art. The seven rooms are mostly made up of doubles and each has been geographically themed - the Indian room being the most sought after. There is no restaurant, though light meals can be brought to your room, and drinks are served every evening in the salon area before you head out to dinner. £££ GRAN HOTEL CONDE DUQUE Plaza del Conde Valle Suchill 5, 28015 Madrid (00 34 91 447 7000; www.hotelcondeduque.es). Four-star family-owned Gran Hotel Conde Duque offers all the mod cons you could possibly ask for. Located in one of Madrid's quieter and leafier plazas, the hotel has a tearoom, soundproof salons and a restaurant specialising in Basque cuisine. Room 805 is the most popular room, which might be explained by the fact that it contains a waterbed. The Gran Hotel Conde Duque featured in our special feature on Affordable Madrid Hotels. £ HOTEL ATLANTICO Gran Vía 38, 28013 Madrid (00 34 91 522 6480; www.hotelatlantico.es). Located in the Marques de Falés' 19th-century residence, the Atlántico is a spacious and airy hotel. Its location is unbeatable, and the house boasts one of Gran Vía's finest facades. Service comes with a smile from pleasantly upbeat young staff. £ HOTEL CATALONIA GAUDI Gran Vía 9, 28013 Madrid (00 34 91 531 2222; www.hoteles-catalonia.com). Don't be put off by the shabby entrance of the Hotel Gaudí - the rooms are spacious with parquet floors, either recently renovated or completely new. Make of this what you will, but room 532 has a jacuzzi on the balcony. ££ HOTEL DE LAS LETRAS Gran Vía 11, 28013 Madrid (00 34 91 5237 980; www.hoteldelasletras.com). The Bauza's sister hotel, Hotel de las Letras is a long-time Madrid favourite. Located centrally on Gran Vía, the hotel's motto is 'the most modern classic'. The façade is classic with tiles, stone carvings and dramatic domes. The interior is avant-garde and the 103-rooms light and airy. £ HOTEL EMPERADOR Gran Vía 53, 28013 Madrid (00 34 91 547 2800; www.emperadorhotel.com). Hotel Emperador unites a classic comfortable feel with a bull's eye location - a combination that makes it popular with families. Its main selling point, though, is its unique rooftop terrace with a swimming pool, open all summer. It offers superb views over the city. £ HOTEL HESPERIA MADRID Paseo de la Castellana 57, 28046 Madrid (00 34 91 2108 800; www.hesperia-madrid.com). This five-star establishment, opened in March 2001, mixes Mediterranean minimalism with offbeat baroque. Still, teak furniture and marble bathrooms make most of the 137 rooms and 34 suites feel homely. The Hesperia's showpiece is the Santceloni restaurant (see Where to Eat) run by Santi Santamria of celebrated El Racó de Can Fabes near Barcelona. The El Racó has three Michelin stars, the Santceloni one. The Hotel Hesperia was featured in The Hot List 2002. ££ HOTEL INGLES Calle Echegaray 8, 28014 Madrid (00 34 91 4296 551; www.hotel-ingles.net). More central and classic than most, Hotel Ingles is Madrid's longest running hotel. Dating back to 1853, the hotel has leather sofas and nostalgic photographs. It also has 58 rooms and a bar. £ HOTEL PUERTA AMERICA Avenida América 41, 28002 Madrid (00 34 91 744 5400; www.hoteles-silken.com). On the outskirts of the city this 'design destination' is handy for the airport but little else. Architects including Norman Foster, Jean Nouvel and Zaha Handid all designed a floor each. 315 rooms range from the beautiful but impractical to the cosy and gently stylish. The restaurant, Lágrimas Negras (Black Tears) offers new takes on traditional Spanish cuisine and Marc Newson's Marmobar is elegantly styled. The highlight is Plasma Studio's Space-Odyssey-like fourth floor. ££ HOTEL RELAIS CHATEAUX ORFILA Calle de Orfila 6, Madrid (00 34 91 7027 770; www.hotelorfila.com). On a peaceful side street close to the city centre, it's the quintessential oasis of calm in a famously riotous town. A restored 19th-century mansion filled with Venetian antique furniture and chandeliers. 32 rooms in three sizes are all carpeted and airy with attractive marble bathrooms. The Jardin de Orfila restaurant opens out on to a charming terrace garden, best enjoyed on a warm spring night. The hotel is a destination for those who seek quiet intimacy rather than thrills: the Orfila does not do excitement. £££ HOTEL RITZ Plaza de la Lealtad 5, 28014 Madrid (00 34 91 701 6767; www.ritzmadrid.com). Staid rather than ritzy, the Hotel Ritz is still the hotel to stay at for old-world opulence. The Goya Restaurant offers Spanish food with a Mediterranean slant, and Velasquez Bar and its bartenders are suitably old-fashioned. The Lobby Bar offers afternoon tea with an opulent decor, gentle music, sandwiches, scones and pastries. ££ HOTEL URBAN MADRID Carrera de San Jéronimo 34, 28014 Madrid (00 34 91 787 7770; www.derbyhotels.es). From the owners of Barcelona's plush Hotel Claris, Hotel Urban Madrid has 96 tastefully designed modern rooms with black leather couches and dark-wood floors. The hotel also has an open-air rooftop pool. £££ HOTEL VILLA REAL Plaza de las Cortes 10, 28014 Madrid (00 34 91 420 3767; www.hotelvillareal.com). Across the road from the Ritz, Hotel Villa Real has been given a personal touch by its owners, a husband and wife team. Their past as archaeologists and interior designers is obvious in the hotel. For example, the lobby has second-century mosaics. £££ INTERCONTINENTAL MADRID Paseo de la Castellana 49, 28046 Madrid (00 34 91 7007 300; www.intercontinental.com/madrid). The Intercontinental has a long history with films and film stars. Once the favoured hangout of stars like Ava Gardner, Frank Sinatra and Zsa Zsa Gabor, it is also where Pedro Almodóvar shot the opening scenes of Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!. Located in the business and financial district of the city, it is popular with business travellers. The hotel has 307 rooms, several restaurants and bars. All guest have free use of its Health Club. ££ ROOM MATE OSCAR Plaza Vázquez de Mella 12, Madrid (00 34 91 701 11 73; www.room-matehotels.com). Situated right in the heart of the Chueca nightlife district, Room Mate Oscar has been designed by Spanish design guru Tomás Alía for young (and older) people who want to be fashionable on a budget. 74 light-filled rooms are spread across seven colour-themed floors. The restaurant serves creative Mediterranean cuisine, popular with night owls. But drivers be warned: parking is almost impossible here, being one minute's walk from Madrid's main street, Gran Vía. £ SANTO MAURO HOTEL Zurbano 36, 28010 Madrid (00 34 91 319 6900; www.achotelsantomauro.com). Santo Mauro Hotel is situated in a late 19th-century mansion that once was home to the dukes of Santo Mauro. The hotel, well located, pays homage to the belle époque, and features a very good restaurant. Book room 102 for views overlooking the garden. £££ WESTIN PALACE Plaza de las Cortes 7, 28014 Madrid (00 34 91 360 8000; www.westinpalacemadrid.com). With its huge lobby, dominated by a baroque glass dome, the Westin Palace is a dashing hotel. Commissioned by King Alfonso XIII in 1912 to house visiting royalty, the hotel has since played host to scores of well-known people. Everyone from Margaret Thatcher to Mariah Carey has stayed here. £££

Read next

A insider's guide to Costa Smeralda, Sardinia: Italy's jet-set island

CASA CIRIACO Calle Mayor 84, 28013 Madrid (00 34 91 548 0620). The best place for classic cuisine from the Castilla region. Ask the waiters about the dish of the day, but consider the cochinillo (roasted baby pig) or camarones (baby shrimp), both of which are delicious.

CASA LUCIO Cava Baja 35, 28005 Madrid (00 34 91 3653 252; www.casalucio.es). One of the best and oldest traditional restaurants, Casa Lucio first opened its doors in 1959. If you want to try a classic cocido madrilène, this is the place to do so.

Advertisement

CASA MINGO Paseo de la Florida 34, Madrid (00 34 91 547 7918). Casa Mingo stands beside the hermitage of San Antonio de Florida with its famous Goya frescoes. Founded in 1888, it is an Asturian cider house specialising in roast chicken, Cabrales cheese and grilled chorizo.

CHANTARELLA Doctor Fleming, 28036 Madrid (00 34 956 49 53 40; www.chantarella.es) The food is modern Spanish with its roots firmly attached in the past. The menu offers seasonal and robust dishes, such as artichokes with Iberian ham and carrillera of beef. Reservations are necessary.

Read next

The best things to do in the Cotswolds

EL MALANDRIN Calle Almendro 9, 28005 Madrid (00 34 91 3540 082). This restaurant specialises in a blend of Basque and Indian, thanks to its two brilliant chefs - Jon Ander from the Basque country and Rafe Jaffrey, nephew of celebrity Indian chef Madhur Jaffrey. A restaurant with a difference.

Advertisement

EL PEPINILLO DEL BARQUILLO Calle Barquillo 42, 28004 Madrid (00 34 91 3102 546). This small and lively tapas restaurant is popular with fashion designers, artists and musicians. Accept advice from waiting staff about what to order and wash it down with a bottle of the Rioja house wine.

IROCO Calle de Velazquez 18, 28001 Madrid. This restaurant is the place to watch models eat their salads during Madrid's fashion week. The minimalist venue serves Mediterranean cuisine with an Oriental touch.

LA BROCHE Calle Miguel Angel 29-31, 28010 Madrid (00 34 91 3993 437; www.labroche.com). The restaurant at the Miguel Angel Hotel has earned two Michelin stars since it opened in 2000. The mind-blowing mix of ingredients have given it quite a reputation, but its is also known for his more traditional Catalan cooking, such as escudella of beans with meatballs and foie gras.

LA TRAINERA Calle Lagasca 60, 28006 Madrid (00 34 91 5768 035; www.latrainera.es). This is rightly considered the best fish restaurant in town and is popular with politicians and businessmen alike. Booking is essential.

Read next

Travel guide to Edinburgh

OLIVEROS San Millan 4 (00 34 91 354 6252). The legend on the tiled shop front translates as: To Eat Well and Cheaply, San Millán 4. This splendid tavern of 1857 has recently been well restored.

ROBATA Calle de la Reina 31, 28004 Madrid (00 34 91 5218 528; www.robata.es). By far the best Japanese restaurant in the city. You will find delicacies such as tuna belly alongside the standard sushi and sashimi on the menu and a cool-looking clientele around you.

SANTCELONI RESTAURANTE Paseo Castellana 57, 28046 Madrid (00 34 91 2108 840; www.restaurantesantceloni.com). If you like details, this is the place to eat. Santceloni, in the Hesperia Hotel serves fresh food that has been treated with respect in Oscar Velasco's expert hands. The lobster is served with a lemon-flavoured gratin, the green salad with generous shavings of black truffle. On top of this, the wine list is certainly one of the best in Madrid, specialising in Catalan bottles.

TABERNA CARMENCITA Calle Libertad 16 (00 34 91 531 6612). Home-style Basque food in an original and lovely tavern, founded more than 150 years ago.

Read next

Return of the Ancient World: Egypt

The best nightlife in Madrid

BARS

CAMP Calle del Marqués de Valdeiglesias 6, 28004 Madrid (00 34 91 5236 099). A hip bar with retro decor and the latest music, Camp is one of the most fashionable spots for pre-dinner drinks. The bar also shows short films at times.

COCK Calle de la Reina 16, 28004 Madrid (00 34 91 5322 826; www.barcock.com). In the ever-changing bar scene of the capital, this is an enduring classic; a slickly designed café that attracts an interesting mix of expats and what's left of the modiva crowd who made Madrid so fashionable in the 1980's.

DUCADOS CAFE Plaza de Canalejas 3, 28014 Madrid (00 34 91 3600 089). A restaurant by day and club by night. Owned by former fashion model Gustavo Gorosteguy, it is one of the most happening venues in town - models high on Mojitos and Daiquiris are packed in for good measure.

An Insider's Travel Guide To New Orleans

CONVENTO DE LAS DESCALZAS REALES Plaza de las Descalzas, 28013 Madrid (00 34 91 454 8700; www.patrimonionacional.es). Las Descalzas Reales occupies the building where Princess Juana, daughter of Emperor Charles V, founded the convent in 1557. Beautiful 17th-century frescoes adorn the walls, but the most important piece is Rubens' tapestry showing the Triumph of the Holy Eucharist over Idolatry.

CONVENTO DE LA ENCARNACION Plaza de la Encarnación 1, 28013 Madrid (www.patrimonionacional.es). Founded by Queen Margaret in 1611, the convent is the home of many fascinating items and paintings from around the time it was built. The frescos are painted by the González Velázquez brothers and Francisco Bayeu and Saint Pantaleon's blood is kept in the Reliquary Chapel.

MUSEO NACIONAL DEL PRADO Paseo del Prado, 28014 Madrid (00 34 90 2107 077; www.museodelprado.es/). The most important of the national museums, Prado holds a great collection of paintings, sculptures and other works of art. Walking though the gallery is like getting a lesson in the development of art in Europe, from the 12th to the 19th-century. The museum is open every day of the year (apart from 1 January, 1 May and 25 December), and general admission is €12 (reduced price is €6).

Read next

Family-friendly European breaks

MUSEO THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA Paseo del Prado 8, 28014, Madrid (00 34 91 3690 151; www.museothyssen.org). The collection was acquired throughout the 20th-century by the different Barons Thyssen, and it has been on display to the public since 1992. The Thyssen-Bornemisza collection is one of the most important privately-owned ones in the world, as it contains many masterpieces from the centuries' great and good, from Hans Holbein the younger and Caravaggio through Monet and Picasso to Bacon and Lichtenstein.

MUSEO DE LA REAL ACADEMIA DE BELLAS ARTES DE FERNANDO Calle Alcalá 13, 28014 Madrid (00 34 91 5240 864). This is the place to go if you want to avoid the crowds while looking at works by Goya, Zurbáran and Murillo.

MUSEO ROMANTICO Calle de San Mateo 13, 28004 Madrid (00 34 91 4480 163; http://museoromanticismo.mcu.es/). Hidden behind the façade in this 19th-century townhouse is a fine collection of art and artefacts, such as paintings by Carlos Haes, Leonardo Alenza and Goya.

MUSEO CERRALBO Calle Ventura Rodríguez 17, 28008 Madrid (00 34 91 5473 646; http://museocerralbo.mcu.es/esp/index2.html). This museum houses a great collection of archeological objects, paintings, documents and other things. Created by the 17th Marquès de Cerralbo (1845-1922), who dedicated his life to history, politics and the art.

MUSEO DE PICASSO Plaza de España 8, 28008 Madrid (00 34 91 868 0056; www.madrid.org/museo_picasso). This tiny collection only contains the 62 works the Spanish master gave his barber friend Eugenio Arias during their 26-year long friendship. The men met while in exile in France, and many of the objects show a particular sense of homesickness that the two shared. None of Picasso's most famous masterpieces are on display, but Museo de Picasso is a good way of getting to know another side of the notoriously difficult man.

Read next

Travel Guide To Algarve

Things to do in Madrid

GUIDED TOURS Madrid Tourist Board has come up with a number of guided tours, enabling tourists to see a different side of the city. Depending on your interests, you can choose between a traditional sightseeing tour, or tours with a particular historical, architectural or culinary slant. It is a good opportunity to get to know the city, its past, present and future. Contact the Tourist Board (www.esmadrid.com) for more information.

Where to shop in Madrid

DEPARTMENT STORES

EL CORTE INGLES Calle Serano 47, 28006 Madrid (www.elcorteingles.com). Known throughout the world for the quality of its stock, El Corte Inglés is the Spanish department store. The branch on Calle Serano is the "fashion house", but also houses a supermarket and a restaurant.

MERCADO DE FUENCARRAL Calle de Fuencarral 35, 28004 Madrid (00 34 91 5214 152; www.mdf.es). A true galleria with an enormous selection of accessories. Offers everything from astrology to fashion, and has a popular bar on the top floor for exhausted shoppers.

FASHION

Read next

Bali travel guide

BERSHKA Calle de Preciados 20, 28013 Madrid (00 34 91 5322 014; www.bershka.com). A hip clothes shop for younger travellers - this is where preppy meets the street. There are several Bershka shops around Madrid, but the one on Calle Preciados stocks clothes for both sexes.

KALA Calle de Blanca de Navarra 6, 28010 Madrid (00 34 91 319 8806). This high fashion boutique, set up by model Eugenia Silva and designer Fatima de Burnay, showcases an eclectic assortment of home ware, furniture and accessories, including jewellery by Kendra Miller and a selection of de Burnay's hats.

LOEWE Gran Vía 8, 28013 Madrid (00 34 91 5226 815; www.loewe.com). Originated in a leather workshop in the middle of the 19th-century, Loewe is one of Spain's most respected high fashion exports. The company has not forgotten its leather roots, but also offers a great range of ready-to-wear in its shop on Gran Vía.

ZARA Fuencarral 126-128, 28010 Madrid (00 34 91 4458 926; www.zara.com). Owned by the people behind both Bershska and Massimo Dutti, ZARA is well known for its classy version of high-street fashion.

FOOD

DELI DELUX Calle San Marcos 33, 28004 Madrid (00 34 91 5224 204). Run by sister and brother Romero, Deli Delux is both a restaurant and a delicatessen. It offers many international delicacies, salads, wine and amazing Cuban-style sandwiches.

LAVINIA Calle de José Ortega y Gasset, 28006 Madrid (00 34 91 4260 614; www.lavinia.es). One of the biggest and most respected wine merchants in the city. Lavinia's very knowledgeable members of staff offer more than 1,500 good quality wines and many different types of spirits. The price range makes sure that there is something here for every budget.

PASTA AL DENTE Fernando VI 2, 28004 Madrid (00 34 91 3081 774; www.pastaaldente.es). An Italian delicatessen in the middle of Madrid, with good pasta, Italian cheese, wines and liqueurs. Helpful staff is on hand to help you choose from the vast selection.

RESERVA Y CATA Avenida de Filipinas 44, 28003 Madrid (00 34 91 3190 401; www.reservaycata.com). Another great wine merchant, Reserva Y Cata is the home of Spanish and Portugese wines, from Alella to Yecla via both Champagne and Rías Baixas.

SPECIALIST SHOPS

HERBOLARIO SUCESORES DE LA FUENTE Pelayo 70, 28004 Madrid (00 34 91 3081 398). Who can resist a 150-year-old herbolario with more than 400 spices and herbs? This is the place to go if you are looking for a potion to lose weight, or to get rid of tiredness or any other modern ailment.

The best things to do near Madrid

MOUNTAIN WALKING

If you have a few days to spare, and would like a more physical sightseeing tour than that on a local tourist bus in central Madrid, go walking in the Sierra de Gredos. Located on the edge of the Castille, a three-hour train ride from Madrid itself, Sierra de Gredos is the home of red-brick villages, olive orchards and Moorish architecture. Contact the Spanish Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing for more information (00 34 93 4264 267; www.fedme.es).

SAN LORENZO DE EL ESCORIAL

Advertisement

Located only 50km away from Madrid in a village declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial was built by Felipe II in the late 16th-century as a memorial over his dead parents. It contains no less than 43 altars and chancels, whereas the Palace of the Austrias, located just behind it, contains frescos over the most important battles won by the Spanish royals. San Lorenzo de El Escorial can be reached by train from Atocha Station.